Anti-inflammatory effect of dikaempferol rhamnopyranoside, a diflavonoid from Eugenia jambolana Lam. Leaves.

Traditionally, the Indian Blackberry or locally called Jamun, Eugenia jambolana Lam. (Syn.: Syzygium cumini), is well known for its pharmacological potential, particularly anti-inflammatory. Here, we studied kaempferol-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside]-4'-O-4'- [kaempferol-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (EJ-01) isolated from the E. jambolana leaves for possible anti-inflammatory activity. EJ-01 (3, 10 and 30 mg/kg, p.o.) was assessed for anti-inflammatory activity using carrageenan-induced paw edema model in mice by determining edema volume, myeloperoxidase (MPO), nitrite plus nitrate (NOx) and cytokine levels in paw edema tissue. EJ-01 significantly attenuated the edema, MPO levels, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) levels in the edema of paw at the 5th hour after carrageenan injection at all doses. EJ-01 (30 mg/kg) decreased the nitric oxide (NO) levels of the edema of paw at the 5th hour after carrageenan injection. The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of EJ-01 might be related to the decrease in the level of edema paw by reduced activities of NO and MPO. It probably exerts anti-inflammatory effects through the suppression of TNF-α and IL-1β. Therefore, we conclude that EJ-01 could be positively exploited for itspotential benefits against inflammatory diseases and support the pharmacological basis of E. jambolana as traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

An educational intervention program on knowledge about oral hygiene measures.

Background: Health education is a process of transmission of knowledge and skills necessary for improvement in quality of life. Objectives: The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to evaluate the oral hygiene related knowledge among the population in a selected community before and after health education. Materials and Methods: A total of 106 respondents were taken purposively at South Pirerbag of Dhaka city. Baseline data were collected by pre-tested structured questionnaire. An educational intervention program was conducted by dividing the respondents into seven groups, 15 in each group; method was group discussion and lecture; poster, model of teeth and brush were the aids. Post intervention data were collected by the same questionnaire. Results: Among the respondents, 61.32% were male and 38.68% were female, mean age was 46.25 years, 35.85% had primary level education, monthly family income was Tk 5000-10000 in 66.98%. Before intervention 64.15% told that teeth should be cleaned twice daily, 62.26% told teeth should be cleaned by brush and paste and 2.83% told teeth should be cleaned after breakfast and night; whereas after intervention the result was 91.51%, 85.85% and 67.93% respectively. Before intervention 66.98% stated that tobacco is hazardous to health but 32.4% have no idea about the type of diseases that occur due to tobacco; whereas after intervention 89.62% told that tobacco is hazardous to health and most of them had idea about harmful effect of tobacco. Conclusion: Educational intervention program is effective to improve the knowledge of the respondents about oral hygiene.

Pattern of Tobacco Consumption among the Diabetic Patients.

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a public health challenge all over the world. Recent evidence suggests that there is a positive association between smoking and the risk of diabetes. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June 2008 at BIRDEM Hospital, Shahbagh, Dhaka to find out pattern of tobacco consumption among diabetic patients. Age of the respondents was >15 years. With purposive sampling total 255 respondents were selected. Data was collected through face-to-face interview with structured questionnaire. Out of 255 respondents, 51.4% consumed deferent type of tobacco. Smoker was 63.36% and smokeless tobacco user was 52.67%. The highest (45.80%) had habit of smoking, 36.64% had habit of smokeless tobacco and 17.56% had habit both types of tobacco consumption. The highest smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption found within 50-60 years age group. Total 60.80% male had smoking habit and 32.82% female were smokeless tobacco consumer but no female was smoker. Twenty nine percent tobacco consumers were primarily educated, 16.08% service holders were tobacco consumer and 13.75% service holders were smoker. Among respondents lung diseases and heart diseases were common (78.54.0% and 49.36%). Respondents who consumed tobacco were suffered (74.36%) more complication than non-tobacco consumer (25.64%). So an effective awareness program is required to discourage the consumption of tobacco to protect diabetic patients.

Histomorphological study of lymphoid follicle of vermiform appendix.

The study was done to find out the number of lymphoid follicle of vermiform appendix in Bangladeshi people and to increase the knowledge regarding variational anatomy in our population. Total 40 fresh appendixes were collected for histological study of different age and sex during postmortem examination in the autopsy laboratory of Forensic department of Mymensingh Medical College. This cross sectional descriptive study was done by convenient sampling technique. For convenience of differentiating the number of lymphoid follicle of vermiform appendix in relation to age and sex, findings were classified in four groups, up to 20 years, 21 to 35 years, 36 to 55 years and 56 to 70 years. In the present study the number of lymphoid follicle were highest in group A, mean were (5.40+/-1.30) and lowest in group D where mean were (1.05+/-0.35). In male mean were 3.16 and in female mean were 2.86. Diameter of the lymphoid follicle in group A was highest (40.14+/-2.66) and lowest in group D (0.24+/-1.35). Number of germinal centre are highest in group B (2.20 +/- 0.45) and lowest in group D (0.00 +/- 0.00).

A morphological and morphometric study of the right ventricular papillary muscles of autopsied heart of Bangladeshi people.

Fifty formalin-fixed hearts from thirty nine male and eleven female Bangladeshis aged 20 to 70 years and without any known cardiac disorder were used in the present study. In right ventricle, there was a single anterior papillary muscle in 92% cases. The posterior papillary muscle was double in 32% and single in 28% cases. The septal papillary muscle was single in 46% cases while in 30% cases it was absent. The different between males and females in the total number of papillary muscles was statistically non significant. In the right ventricle, the anterior papillary muscles were the longest and the septal papillary muscles were the shortest.

Dairy income and somatic status of pre-school children.

The study was conducted on pre school children of Karnataka to assess the impact of additional income from dairy on somatic status of children. Analysis of data showed that there were no differences with respect to height and weight of children between the study groups. Hence, it was concluded that income from agriculture and income from dairy products either independently or jointly did not influence height for age, weight for age and weight for height for age of the child.

High vaginal swab(HVS), routine microscopy and culture sensitivity in diabetic and non diabetic, a comparative retrospective study of five years.

Diabetic women are significantly more prone to develop vaginitis (both bacterial and fungal) than non diabetic. Among the positive cases predominant bacterial isolate being E. Coli. All fungus positive culture yielded the growth of candida species. Direct wet film preparation of the fungus positive cases revealed only 30% were positive for fungus, thus if candida vaginitis is suspected, the diagnosis cannot be ruled out on the basis of negative direct preparation. More over, diabetics should be advised maintain proper glycaemic control and personal hygiene to get rid of this distressing problem.

A study on the prevalence of tuberculosis in a rural community of Bangladesh.

The population of two villages of Chagalnaiya Upazila was selected for a study on the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis through a two stage screening process. Initial screening was conducted on 3406 persons which is 78% of the total population (3920) of the two villages. The initial screening revealed 182 persons with the history of cough lasting 4 weeks or more, chest pain, continuous fever and haemoptysis. Sputum examinations for Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) of tuberculosis detected 21 sputum positive cases giving a prevalence rate of 6.2 (per 1000 population) higher than the estimated national average of 5.0 per 1000. Most of the cases were not receiving treatment. Some social and environmental factors of suspected and detected cases were also studied.

Assessment of a mobile training programme on nutrition for Bangladesh rural development board (BRDB) women's programme in Bangladesh.

About half of the total population of the country are women and without their active participation no development programme can be achieved. This study involved a total number of 690 trainees from 23 upazilas of different districts in Bangladesh. The results obtained from both pre and post tests were compared and analyzed to find out the impact of the mobile training programme on nutrition. The mean age of the trainees was 29.54. The mean number of children per trainee was 3.73 and the mean income was close to Taka 1048.26. Analysis of the results regarding knowledge of the training about nutrition at pre and post training stages reveal that at post training stage they were more aware of the importance of nutrition. The difference in knowledge level at pre and post training stages was statistically significant (P less than .001).